English Orange Marmalade Food

HOW TO MAKE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Scrub the oranges and place the whole fruits in a large stainless steel pan, or preserving pan.
• Cover with 2.25 litres/4 pints water, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour until the fruit is soft.
• Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Wash the jars well in warm soapy water then rinse thoroughly under running water. Leave the jars and lids to dry, upside down, in the oven. Place a few saucers in the freezer to chill (these will be used to test if the cooked marmalade has reached setting point).
• Remove the oranges from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Carefully measure out 1.7 litres/3 pints of the cooking liquid, discarding any extra or topping up with water as necessary. Return the liquid to the pan.
• When the oranges are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, pith and pips into a bowl. Pour the orange pulp into a muslin bag and secure with kitchen string. Add to the pan.
• Chop the peel into shreds as fine as you like and add to the pan. Set the pan over a low heat and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Bring the marmalade to a rolling boil for 10-15 minutes. Skim off any orange scum that rises to the surface.
• Test for setting point by dropping a little of the mixture onto a chilled saucer, leave for a moment, then push your finger into the marmalade. If it wrinkles it is ready. Alternatively, dip a spoon into the marmalade, allow the mixture to cool a little, then slowly pour it back into the pan. If it is at the setting point, the drops will run together to form a hanging flake (this is known as the flake test). It can take up to 30 minutes to reach setting point, so keep testing.
• When the marmalade is ready, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully ladle into the hot sterilised jars (a sterilised jam funnel makes this much easier) leaving approximately 1cm/½in space at the top of the jar. Twist the lids on the hot jars to seal. The marmalade will continue to thicken up as it cools.

ULTIMATE SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Put the whole oranges and lemon juice in a large preserving pan and cover with 2 litres/4 pints water - if it does not cover the fruit, use a smaller pan. If necessary weight the oranges with a heat-proof plate to keep them submerged. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for around 2 hours, or until the peel can be easily pierced with a fork.
• Warm half the sugar in a very low oven. Pour off the cooking water from the oranges into a jug and tip the oranges into a bowl. Return cooking liquid to the pan. Allow oranges to cool until they are easy to handle, then cut in half. Scoop out all the pips and pith and add to the reserved orange liquid in the pan. Bring to the boil for 6 minutes, then strain this liquid through a sieve into a bowl and press the pulp through with a wooden spoon - it is high in pectin so gives marmalade a good set.
• Pour half this liquid into a preserving pan. Cut the peel, with a sharp knife, into fine shreds. Add half the peel to the liquid in the preserving pan with the warm sugar. Stir over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved, for about 10 minutes, then bring to the boil and bubble rapidly for 15- 25 minutes until setting point is reached.
• Take pan off the heat and skim any scum from the surface. (To dissolve any excess scum, drop a small knob of butter on to the surface, and gently stir.) Leave the marmalade to stand in the pan for 20 minutes to cool a little and allow the peel to settle; then pot in sterilised jars, seal and label. Repeat from step 3 for second batch, warming the other half of the sugar first.

THE ULTIMATE TRADITIONAL SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Measure 8 litres/16 pints water and pour into the preserving pan.
• Halve the oranges and lemons and squeeze the juice into a jug. Add the juice to the water and place the pips plus any bits of pith onto a muslin square. Tie the muslin square with kitchen string to hold the pips and pith and add to the pan.
• Shred the orange and lemon peel into thick strips. Don't cut too thin or they will dissolve in the cooking process. Add the peel to the pan.
• Bring the water and juice up to the boil then reduce to a steady simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the peel is soft.
• Remove the bag of pips from the pan and leave to cool until you can hold it in your hand.
• Add the sugar to the pan constantly stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Squeeze the bag of pips over the pan and extract as much of the jelly-like substance, this helps with the setting of the marmalade. Stir again.
• Turn up the heat and bring to a fast boil for 20 mins, check for setting consistency. Continue boiling until the marmalade reaches the setting point (check every 10 minutes) taking care to stir from time to time to prevent the jam sticking to the bottom and burning. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon. Once the setting point is reached, turn off the heat and leave to settle for 20 minutes.
• Spoon the marmalade into the heated jars using a ladle and funnel. Seal and leave to cool. Store in a cool dark place. Will keep up to one year.

ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly. Cut the oranges into 1/8-inch slices using a mandoline, removing the seeds as you go. Stack the orange slices and cut them into quarters. Place the oranges into an 8-quart stainless steel pot. Add the lemon zest and juice and the water to the pot, set over high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes or until the fruit is very soft.
• While the fruit is cooking, fill a large pot (at least 12-quart) 3/4 full with water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Place 10 (8-ounce) jars and rings, canning funnel, ladle, and tongs into the boiling water and make sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lids and leave everything in the pot until the marmalade is ready.
• Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer. Increase the heat under the orange mixture to return to full boil. Add the sugar and stir the mixture continually, until it reaches 222 to 223 degrees F on a deep-fry or candy thermometer, and darkens in color, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat in order to prevent boil over. Test the readiness of the marmalade by placing a teaspoon of the mixture onto the chilled plate and allowing it to sit for 30 seconds. Tilt the plate. The mixture should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is thin and runs easily, it is not ready.
• Remove jars from the water and drain on a clean towel. Place a canning funnel onto the top of 1 of the jars and ladle in the marmalade just to below the bottom of the threads of the jar. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used. The amount of marmalade may vary by 1 to 2 jars. Wipe the rims and threads of the jars with a moist paper towel and top each with a lid. Place a ring on each jar and tighten.
• Return the jars to the pot with boiling water, being certain that they don't touch the bottom of the pot or each other. (If you don't have a jar rack, try a round cake rack, or metal mesh basket. Even a folded kitchen towel on the pot bottom will do in a pinch.) Add additional water if necessary to cover the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes. Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars from the water, place in a cool dry place and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours before opening. Once open, store in the refrigerator. Unopened marmalade will last for up to 6 months.

ENGLISH ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Wash the oranges and place them whole in a large pot, cover with water and bring to the boil (more water may be needed as stated depending on the size of your oranges and your pot). Simmer for 90 minutes (skins should be soft and easily pierced with a sharp knife).
• Remove oranges from liquid and cool (keep the liquid). When cook enough to handle with your hands, cut in half and scoop out the pulp and place into a colander. Press down hard with the back of a spoon and add this to the water.
• Slice the orange skins (thick or thin, you choose) and add to the pot. Stir in the sugar and place back on the heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Boil over a high heat for 15-20 minutes. Skim off any scum or froth that rises to the surface.
• Test to see that the marmalade is set (a small spoonful on a fridge cold plate, it should "set" within 60 seconds). If not, cook some more and re-try for setting again.
• Leave hot marmalade in the pot for 30 minutes and stir often, this stops the strips of peel don't sink to the bottom of the pot/jar.
• Ladle into steralised jars. Marmalade will keep for 6 months in the pantry OR 2 weeks in the fridge once opened.

HOW TO MAKE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Squeeze the oranges and keep their juice. Scrape out the pith and pips with a metal spoon, again keeping everything. Juice the lemon, too, then put the lemon shells, orange pith and seeds into a square of muslin about 30 x 30cm, and tie it with string. Leave the string long - that way you can tie it to your wooden spoon, which will make it easier to lift out later.
• Cut each orange shell into 3 petals, then finely shred with a large, sharp knife. Put the peel into a preserving pan, tip in the juices, then sit the bag in the juice. Pour in 2.4 litres/4 pints cold water and leave to steep overnight.
• Next day, leaving the bag in the pan, bring the liquid to the boil, then simmer for about 1 hr, or until the peel is soft and translucent and the liquid has reduced by one third. Turn off the heat and lift the muslin bag into a large bowl. Leave the bag until it's cool enough to handle.
• While you wait, get your jars ready. Wash 8 x 450g/1lb jars (or the equivalent volume larger or smaller jars) in hot, soapy water, then leave in a low oven to dry completely. Keep them warm. Alternatively, if you've got a dishwasher you can run the jars and lids though a hot cycle, then let them dry. Put a saucer in the freezer at this point, too.
• Now for the messy bit - I like to don a pair of rubber gloves at this point. Hold the bag over its bowl, and squeeze and pummel it until you've extracted every last drop of juice and gunge through the muslin. This stuff contains the pectin - the crucial ingredient to the perfect set. You can now throw away what's left in the bag and wash the muslin, ready to re-use.
• Stir the contents of the bowl, plus all the sugar, into the pan. Stir every so often over a very gentle heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Don't boil before all the sugar has melted.
• Slowly bring the pan to the boil. After 10 mins boiling, spoon a small blob of marmalade onto the cold saucer. Leave for a few secs, then push the marmalade with your finger. If it wrinkles, it's ready. If not, boil for 10 mins more then try again. Even if you have a sugar thermometer (look for 105C or where it says 'jam'), I'd still recommend the saucer test. If yours seems to be taking a while don't worry, it can take anything from 10 mins to 45 mins for marmalade to reach setting point, depending on your oranges. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface in the meantime.
• Once you've reached setting point, ladle the marmalade into the warm jars and seal. A funnel is really handy if you have one. The marmalade will keep for up to 1 year in a cool, dark place, and for up to a month in the fridge once opened.

SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Halve the oranges and squeeze the juice into a large stainless-steel pan. Scoop the pips and pulp into a sieve over the pan and squeeze out as much juice as possible, then tie the pulp and pips in the muslin. Shred the remaining peel and pith, either by hand with a sharp knife or in a food processor (a food processor will give very fine flecks rather than strips of peel). Add the shredded peel and muslin bag to the pan along with the water. Leave to soak overnight. This helps to extract the maximum amount of pectin from the fruit pulp, which will give a better set. It also helps to soften the peel, which will reduce the amount of cooking needed.
• Put the pan over a medium heat, then bring up to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 1½-2 hrs, until the peel has become very soft. (The cooking time will be affected by how thickly you have cut the peel.) To see if the peel is ready, pick out a thicker piece and press it between your thumb and finger. It should look slightly see-through and feel soft when you rub it.
• Carefully remove the muslin bag, allow to cool slightly, then, wearing the rubber gloves, squeeze out as much liquid as possible to extract the pectin from the fruit pulp. Discard the bag and weigh the simmered peel mixture. There should be between 775-800g; if less, then top up with water to 775g.
• Put 4 small plates in the freezer, ready to use when testing for setting point. Add the sugar to the pan, then put over a low heat. Warm gently so that the sugar dissolves completely, stirring occasionally. Do not boil, before the sugar is dissolved.
• Increase the heat and bring up to the boil but do not stir while the marmalade is boiling. After about 5 mins the marmalade will start to rise up the pan (it may drop back and then rise again) and larger bubbles will cover the surface. After 8-10 mins boiling, test for setting point. Times will vary according to the size of the pan - in a large pan this takes 7-8 mins, in other pans it may take 12-15 mins. As setting point can be easily missed it's better to test too early than too late.
• To test the setting point: take the pan off the heat and allow the bubbles to subside. Take a plate from the freezer and spoon a little liquid onto the plate, then return to the freezer for 1 min. Push the marmalade along the plate with your finger. If setting point has been reached then the marmalade surface will wrinkle slightly and the marmalade won't run back straight away. If it's not at setting point, return to the heat and boil again for 2 mins before re-testing. Repeat until setting point is reached. If you have a sugar thermometer, setting point is reached at 105C, but it's good to do the plate test as well.
• Leave the marmalade to stand for 10 mins or until starting to thicken. If there's any scum on the surface, spoon it off. Transfer the marmalade to sterilised jars. Cover with a wax disc (wax side down) and seal. When cold, label the jars and store in a cool, dark cupboard. The marmalade should keep for up to a year.